Manufacture of shoes



April 25, 1939. H, WARREN MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Nov. 1, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 25, 1939.

H. WARREN 2,155,572

MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Filed Nov. 1, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES MANUFACTURE OF SHOES Harold Warren, Swampscott,

Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J'., a, corporation of New Jersey Application November 1, 1937, Serial No. 172,120

Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to the manufacture of shoes of that type in which the margin of the upper is lasted over an insole in generally parallel relation to the bottom of the last and is secured at least around the end of the forepart in lasted relation to the insole by cement.

In the manufacture of shoes of the: above mentioned type, after the upper materials havev been pulled over and lasted along the sides of the forepart and shank portions, it is customaryto remove at the toe end by a trimming operation the surplus margin of' some of the layersof the upper materials, usually the toe box and the lining, so that the margin of the outer layer of the materials will lie more smoothly on the insole as it is pressed into position to adhere thereto in the toe lasting operation. In order that the toe box and lining will be held securely it is desirable that they be trimmed slightly beyond the plane of the insole so that: they will overlap the bottom face of the insole after the lasting operation. In the pulling over operation, however, there are formed in the upper materials outwardly projecting folds or ears at the corners of the toe which render it dimcult to make the trimming out in the desired relation to the edge of the insole. For this reason the trimming operation is commonly performed by the skilled operator of the bed lasting machine who, by means of the toe-embracing wipers of the otmachine, usually upwipes and overwipes the upper materials one or more times to position them around the toe in proper relation to the edge of the insole before performing the trimming operation. In the manufacture of shoes in which the upper i'ssecured in lasted relation to the insole by cement it is customary also for the operator of the bed machine to apply the cement between the upper and the insole after the trimming operation. This treatment of the upper materials requires a large amount of the operators time, thereby lessening the output of the machine and increasing materially the cost of production of shoes. In order to increase the production of shoes by the skilled operator. of the bed machine and to reduce to a material extent the total cost of shoe production it has been proposed to' have the trimming and cementing operations performed at an earlier stage in the manufacture of the shoe by unskilled operators, thus relieving the 50 operator of the bed machine of the necessity of performing the trimming and cement applying operations.

In one important aspect the present invention provides a method by the use of which the upper materials all around the end 0; the forepart, or at least at the corners of the toe, are bent inwardly over the insole in the pulling-over operation; thus positioning the upper materials in proper relation tothe edge of the insole for the trimming operation which may be formed by an unskilled opera- 5" tor before the shoe comes to the operator of the bedmachine without any danger of trimming the lining and toe box below the plane of the insole Preferably, the cement applying operation is per-'- formed by the same or another unskilled operator and after a suflicient lapse of time to permit the cement to become tacky and capable of immediate adhesion, the shoe is presented to the bed, machine the operator of which need only 'givethe upper materials at the toe end a single upwipe 15 and over wipe to complete the toe lasting operation. In addition to its method aspects, the invention in another aspect resides in improved apparatus" useful in carrying out the method and characterized, for example, by the provision in a pullingover machine having, as usual, overlaying and fastening-inserting mechanisms movable lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe for wiping the marginal portions of the upper materials inwardly over the insole at the end and at the opposite sides of the forepart, of a device or toe band carried by the end overlying and fastening inserting mechanism and having inwardly extending portions arranged to bend the upper materials in locations between the end and sides of the forepart inwardly over the insole in response to its movement lengthwise of the shoe with the end mechanism., As the toe band is thus moved it acts also to press the toe portion of the upper against the last ex teriorly of the last bottom as its inwardly extending portions engage and bend the upper materials inwardly over the insole at the corners of the toe. Thus the formation of outwardly projecting folds or pleats in the upper materials at the corners of the toe is eliminated so that in the trimming operation the operator may, after removing the end pulling over tack, bend the margin of the outer layer of the upper materials away from the insole to expose the inwardly bent marginal portions of the toe box and lining and by means of the usual hand knife make the trim- 1 ming cut in the desired relation to the edge of the insole.

One manner of practicing the novel method be 5 this invention, and various novel features of means that may be utilized in practicing the method, will now be more particularly setforth by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a pulling over machine in which novel features of the invention are embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the novel toe band, illustrating its relation to the overlaying member of the end overlaying and fasteninginserting mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the shoe after it has been pulled over and lasted along the sides of the ball portion and shank;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the toe of a shoe showing the relation of the toe band to the shoe at the end of the pulling-over operation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the step of trimming away the surplus margin of the lining and toe box around the end of the forepa Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the step of applying cement between the upper and the insole at the toe end;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the bed-lasting machine with the toe-embracing wipers in the positions which they assume at the end of the toe-lasing operation; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shoe after it has been pulled over without the use of the novel toe band of the present invention.

For convenience of illustration the invention in its machine aspects is herein shown as applied to a machine of the same general type as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,029,387, granted on June 11, 1912, upon an application of R. F. McFeely. Machines of thattype comprise in their organizations grippers H3 for engaging the upper at the end and at the opposite sides of the forepart of the last, the present drawings showing the end gripper and a portion of the grippers at one side only, which are operated to pull the upper against the resistance of a solerest l2 in engagement with which the shoe is initially positioned. The several grippers are operated to pull the upper over the last and then hold the upper under tension with the machine at rest to permit inspection and adjustment of the work. Following a subsequent starting of the machine, shoe clamping and supporting devices, one of which is shown at H (Fig. 1), are swung inwardly against the shoe at the opposite sides and either immediately or following a second period of rest in the cycle of operations overlaying and fastening-inserting mechanisms, one of which is shown at l4 (Fig. 1), are moved inwardly at the toe end and at the opposite sides to wipe the marginal portions of the upper materials in locations where they have been pulled by the grippers over the edge of the insole and inwardly from the edge, the grippers being tripped by the inward movements of these mechanisms to cause them to release the upper, and tacks are driven to secure the margins of the upper materials in place. It will be understood that before the grippers are tripped to release the upper the wiping and pressing member of each overlaying and fasteninginserting mechanism will have been moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe far enough to press the marginal portions of the upper materials against the insole, after which these members hold the upper materials in pulled condition until the tacks are driven. lhe wiping and pressing member of the overlaying and fastening-inserting mechanism at the toe end is indicated by the reference numeral Iii in Figs. 1'

and 2. It will be understood also that the tacks are driven by the overlaying. and fasteninginserting mechanisms at predetermined distances from the edge of the insole, the end mechanism I4 having adjustably secured thereto for determining the position of the single tack driven thereby an abutment l8 movement of which is stopped by the toe end of the shoe.

For purposes of this invention there is secured to the abutment It by means of a screw 20 a device or toe band 22 which is shaped to conform substantially to the curvature of the toe end of the last and, as herein shown, is provided with laterally projecting flanges 24 at its opposite sides, the flanges being arranged to engage the marginal portions of the upper materials in locations between the end and the side overlaying and fastening-inserting mechanisms, at the corners of the toe, and to bend the marginal portions of the upper materials in those locations inwardly over the insole in response to the inward movement of the toe end mechanism I4...

In the use of the illustrated machineto practice the novel method of the present invention a last with shoe materials comprising an insole 26, a leather upper 28, lining 30 and toe box 32;

assembled thereon, is presented by the operator to the machine with the sole rest l2 in engagement with the insole 2B and the marginal. pore; tions of the upper materials arranged within the open jaws of the toe and side grippers. The machine is then started and the upper is pulled in the usual manner and is then held under tension, with the machine at rest to permit inspection of the work and any necessary adjustment. When the machine is again started the shoe clamping and supporting devices are moved inwardly into. engagement with the shoe atits opposite sides and the upper is pulled inwardly by the grippers and wiped over the insole by the inwardlyamov;

ing overlaying and fastening-inserting mechanisms and is thereafter fastened by-tacks at the toe end and at the opposite sides of the forepart;

As the end overlaying and fastening-insertingmechanism I4 is moved rearwardly to wipe the marginal portions of the upper materials at the toe end inwardly over the insole, the marginal portions of the upper materials at the corners? of the toe are bent inwardly over the insole by:

the laterally extending flanges 24 of the toe band 22 which also acts to press the uppermaterials around the toe end against the last exteriorly of the last bottom. Fig. 4 illustrates the condition of the shoe at the end of the pulling-over opera,- tion, the marginal portions of the upper materials having been bent inwardly over the insole all around the end of the forepart and fastened in pulled over condition by the side pulling over.

tacks 34 and the end pulling over tack: 3,6. -It will be understood that in the pulling-over operation the upper is stretched lengthwise and the toe: portions of the upper materials are shaped'substantially to conform to the contour of the toe" end of the last, thus determining the extent to which the marginal portions of the upper mae terials around the toe end project beyond the plane of the insole.

After the pulling over operation, the side-lastgja ing operation is performed-along the forepart and the shank, the shoe herein shown having its; upper materials secured in lasted relation-to the insole in theshank by staples 38 and at theifore i part by an adhesive. After the shoe has been lasted along the sides of the forepart andsha-nk it is next prepared for the toe-lasting'operation by trimming away around the toe end the portions of the lining 30 and toe box 32 that extend beyond the plane of the insole 26. Fig. 3 illustrates the condition of the shoe after the upper materials have been pulled over and lasted along the sides of the forepart and shank, the marginal portions of the upper materials all around the end of the forepart having been bent inwardly over the insole in the pulling-over operation without the formation of outwardly projecting folds or ears in the upper materials at the corners of the toe such as are usually formed in the upper materials in the pulling over operation without the use of the novel toe band of the present invention. Fig. 8 shows a shoe having such folds or ears formed in the upper materials at the corners of the toe. It will be readily seen that with the upper materials around the end of the forepart in the condition shown in Fig. 3 the trimming operation may be quickly and accurately performed by removing the toe pulling over tack 36, bending the marginal portion of the outer layer 28 of the upper materials away from the insole to expose the inwardly bent marginal portions of the lining and toe box, and then by the use, for example, of a hand knife 40 (Fig. 5), trimming away the marginal portions of the lining and toe stiffener that extend beyond the plane of the insole. In the trimming operation, the hand knife 40 may rest on the insole and the lining and toe stiffener may be trimmed to or slightly above the more or less sharply defined crease line 42 formed in the upper materials around the toe end as their margins are bent inwardly over the insole in the pulling over operation.

After the surplus marginal portions of the lining and toe box at the toe end have been trimmed nearly to the plane of the insole an adhesive, for example a latex or rubber cement, is applied in any usual way, preferably by means of a brush 44 (Fig. 6), to the marginal portion of the outer layer 28 of the upper materials or to the margin of the insole or to both. When the adhesive has become suificiently tacky to form a strong bond between the upper and the insole when these two surfaces are pressed together, the shoe is presented to the bed lasting machine for the toe-lasting operation. Since the upper materials have been previously shaped substantially to conform to the contour of the toe end of the last without the formation of outwardly projecting ears in the upper materials at the corners of the toe, the operator of the bed machine, after removing the side pulling-over tacks 34, by means of the toe embracing wipers 46 need only give the upper materials a single upwipe to shape them to the contour of the edge of the insole after which by a single advancing and closing movement of the wipers the marginal portion of the outer layer 28 of the upper materials is laid inwardly over the insole and pressed into position to adhere thereto through the action of the adhesive.

By the use of the method of this invention, the shoe in the pulling-over operation is prepared better for the subsequent trimming and toe-lasting operations, the upper materials at the end of the forepart being positioned in proper relation to the edge of the insole without the formation of outwardly projecting ears in the upper materials at the corners of the toe. This eliminates any danger that there may be of damaging the shoe by trimming the lining and toe box below the plane of the insole and relieves the operator of the bed machine of the necessity of wiping out the ears in the upper materials before laying their marginal portions inwardly over the insole.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in pulling upper materials over a last at the end and the sides of the forepart and in the pulling over operation bending the margins of the upper materials at the corners of the toe portion inwardly over an insole on the last, driving a fastening at the end of the toe and other fastenings at the sides of the forepart to hold the upper, thereafter removing the fastening at the end of the toe and trimming around the end of the forepart the marginal portions of one or more layers of the upper materials that extend beyond the plane of the insole, and then securing the remaining layer or layers of the upper materials in lasted relation to the insole by an adhesive.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in pulling upper materials comprising an upper, a lining and a toe box over a last and in the pulling over operation bending the margin of the upper materials all around the toe portion inwardly over an insole on the last and driving tacks at the end and the opposite sides of the toe to fasten the upper materials in pulled over condition, thereafter removing the end pulling over tack, then bending the margin of the toe portion of the upper away from the margins of the lining and toe box, trimming the marginal portions of the lining and toe box that extend beyond the plane of the insole, introducing an adhesive between the marginal portion of the upper and the marginal portion of the insole, and then wiping the upper around the toeinwardly over the insole and pressing it into position to adhere thereto.

3. In a pulling over machine, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last at the end and the sides of the forepart of the last, of a toe band movable lengthwise of the last in the course of the pulling-over operation for pressing the toe portion of the upper against the last exteriorly of the last bottom, said toe band having inwardly extending flange portions arranged to engage and bend the upper in locations at the corners of the toe inwardly over an insole on the last in response to its movement lengthwise of the last.

4. In a pulling over machine, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last at the end and the sides of the forepart of the last, of an end wiper for wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over an insole on the last at the end of the toe, and means movable only lengthwise of the last for bending the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole at the corners of the toe.

5. In a pulling over machine, the combination with means for pulling an upper over a last at the end and the sides of the forepart of the last, of an end wiper for wiping the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last at the end of the toe, a device movable only lengthwise of the last for bending the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last at the corners of the toe, and means to drive a fastening at the end of the toe while leaving the upper unfastened at the corners of the toe.

HAROLD WARREN. 

